The failure in transponder 18 of the INSAT-2B, which occurred last night, is the second such transponder to fail in the last two months. Top sources in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) while confirming the failure of the transponder said that there was not much scope of setting it right and alternate arrangements would be made soon.

The latest failure has sent communication networks operating out of this transponder completely haywire. It has also exposed the lack of planning in the usage of frequencies from the INSAT-2 series of satellites which has often jeopardisedoperations of both defence services and the commercial users. The departments involved in this are the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Department of Space (DoS) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

The track record of the INSAT satellites has made several users nervous about the lack of planning and the absence of any contingency plans especially with such frequent failures of transponders over the last couple of years. The INSAT-1D is on an extended life, INSAT-2A went into an inclined orbit in April last year thus making it unusable, INSAT-2D failed completely in October 1997 and only INSAT-2E being launched only recently and hence is yet to be operationalised commercially.

This leaves tremendous burden on INSAT-2B and 2C for use by most commercial and Government agencies. No relief seems to be in sight with the launch of INSAT-3B reportedly put off till the first-half of 2000 instead of the earlier planned date sometime during the latter half of the current year.

Privatecompanies wanting to set up closed user networks as well as V-SAT operators have been urging the Government to allow usage of the KU band in order to decongest the presently used frequencies. Nearly Rs 10 to 15 crore worth of business is transacted every day on the extended C-Band and proper back-up facilities need to be put in place to safeguard these operations.